New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-24
EVIL ELEMENTS ON THE TURF

Pleffe L0rilEifu was cHaltlng WIN lflcDH
The other day about his reasons for leavin,
he turf and for not returning to it, and re-
marked with emphasis, There are too many
rascals ON the turf in these days This is
amentably true. Ten years ago when Mr..
Lorillard had the foremost racing stable in
America, even before the days of his remark
able English tTiumphs, there was much
larger proportion of owners who bred and
raced horses for pure love of the sport than
there is to-day. The grounds of the jockey
clubs were not then infested with such a
horde of professional gamblers. keepers Of
grog shops, and plyers of all sorts of dis
reputable trades as they are now. Some
men who had made their money by handling
faro-dccks and roulctte-wheels or by other
base aud vile means appeared among the
owners, but they were small and feeble
remnant in comparison with the host OF book
makers, liuuorscllers and human parasites
that in these latter days descended upon the
urf like devastating cloud of l0custs. a
stable which takes part In all the principal
racing meetings is controlled by brutal
rufiian who was guilty few years ago Of one
of the fouiest and most cowardly murders OF
the time. But no steps arc taken TO discourage
The participation of such scoundrcls in a
sport in which only honorable men of clear
records should meet. Never did more vicious
and demoralizing maxim gam currency than
hat " All men are equal Oh the turf What
is there in the ownership and running OF
thoroughbred horses that should give tho
murderer, the confidence swndlcr and the
ARC dealer the right to mingle on equal tcIms
with men Of good breeding and unstaincd
character?
In the impetuous and excessive develop
nent of thoroughbred racing in this country
the imperative necessity Of keeping the sport
iecent and honest seems TO have been lost
tight Of. Notorious swindleS arc permitted
o enter racc-h horses on the leading tracks
anu TO send them 10 the post 10 compete for
tho most important stakes. What guarantee
does the public have that fellow who has
spent his life in breaking the laws against
gambling dens, and in fleeing his fellow
men. will become a model of integrity and
fair dealing when he buys a few race
horses What more sickenng nonsense can
there be than the assurance so often heard
at the tracks "Oh, Mr. Faro Bank or Mr.
Roulette Wheel always runs his horses to
win Is it reasonable, probable or possible
that profcs .onal gamblers, all whose money
has been made by taking an unfair advantage
of credulous dupcs, all whose activities have
)een given to occupations which are under
the ban Of the law, will BIO governed solely
by honorable impulses and resist all tcmpta-
tons TO evil when great sums are at stake
ON the turf? What is there in the atmos-
phere or associations of the race-course to make
saints out of such sinners as these
As the ranks Of turfmcn have been swelcd
so portentously by the accession Of undesir-
able elements, the judges and officials oi
Jockey clubs should be always on the Abort
to detect and punish fraud. But unfortunate
Nv they are not. There has been great deal
of crooked work this year. both in the East
and the West, and il has met little serious
Interference. Things have come to wretch
ed pass. indeed, when tho most powerful and
influential American turfman OF to-day can
dismiss a case which should have been in
yestigated with unsparing rigor, with The
aippant remark, "Oh every one knows that
the horse always quits after running a mile.
This, in face of the fact that the same horse
last month ran one of the best and fastest
races Of the year at a mile and thrce-siX-
,eenths, and cantered home in way to prove
his ability 10 run much further with entire
case!
The people now turn out in great numbers
ON every race-day. But WI 1t last a? Not
unless more care is taken to purify the turf
and keep it clean. Twice within year
Wall Street has been crowded with light
hearted, sanguine Spectators, jovial over
their rapidly increasing gains and hopeful Of
great riches Twice they have found their
confidence misplaced and have fed from the
Street, bemoaning their loses, and loudly
protesting that the cards were stacked
against them or the dice were loaded. And
now the brokers lament bitterly over tire
" stagnaton" in speculation How long will
it be before there is stagnaion at the race
course
FRENCH AND ENGLISH ACTING.